Located in the north eastern corner of South Africa and borders the countries of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the Kruger Park, Africa is a very famous conservation park all over thư world whose area is 21,497sq km (8,384 sq miles) - same size as Israel. Besides, 146 mammals, 500 bird species, 114 reptile, 49 of fish, 33 amphibians and 23 000 plant species have proved an incredible diversity in wildlife in Kruger. Come to this magical land, every tourists can see herds of game moving through the savannah and it is the home of Africa's Big Five ( buffalo, rhino, elephant, leopard and lion ).
Despite the enormous size of the Kruger the park is exceptionally well developed in terms of road networks and camps. The park was initially designed for self-drive tourists making use of the simple bush camps but nowadays most overseas tourists make use of private lodges like Sabi Sabi, Thornybush, Jock Safari Lodge and Ulusaba were guests are treated to luxury accommodation and sublime cuisine.
The game drives here are all conducted by professional game rangers who track the animals in four by four vehicles. For the more adventurous the most exciting way to see the animals is on a foot safari through the wilderness trails. Each group is accompanied by an armed ranger with intimate knowledge of the animals and their surroundings. The trials are between 3 and 9 miles long and give hikers a once in a life time experience of sharing the bush with African wildlife.
The Kruger Park looks at its best after the summer rains when the bush becomes green and lush, attracting all the various types of antelope in search of new grazing grounds, and this increase in grazers obviously attracts lion, leopard and many other carnivores. Summer time also brings all the migratory birds proudly displaying their brightly coloured breeding time plumage. Winter time is dry and this forces all the animal species to remain close to the available waterholes and rivers, while the shorter grass and thinner foliage makes it easier to see the animals. Game viewing at any time of the year is best done in the early morning and late afternoon when the temperature is cooler. Animals just like humans do not like the heat and tend to hide out in the thick bush during the day and then become active as the temperature decreases.
View important tips when visiting the park are the following:
- If you are on a self drive - never leave the safety of your vehicle.
- Do not ever try to feed any animal.
- Kruger is positioned within Africa's malaria belt - make sure to take anti-malaria tablets and to cover up after dark against mosquitoes.
Kruger Park In South Africa